Aldys
Aldys Once the superpower of the realm and the home to The Mad Queen of Rosehalle, Aldys has since fallen from its almost brilliant history after it lost all of its army in a recent conflict. Aldys has become a hotbed of greed and treachery, breeding some of the most devious courtly intrigues and some of the greatest schemers ever to attend a High Council meeting. Current Ruler: House Trevohn of Rosehalle The House Trevohn of Rosehalle were once the rulers of the realm. The queen, later referred to as the Mad Queen of Rosehalle, was a normal woman until her mid thirties where her mental health took a drastic downward shift. This led to mass executions, an absurd increase in taxes, and the Queen herself took to consuming candied butterfly wings (which she believed to be fairy wings) in order to gain immortality. This led to a revolt started by the House Here which ended in the Mad Queen's assassination and the Realm appointed Lord William of House Howlester as King-Regent of the Realm. Since then, the House Trevohn has sought vengeance for that which had been taken from it, as they were, in their minds, the rightful rulers of the realm. History Rosewood Forests Left over from the reign of the Elven king, Sarenduil, Aldys is home to massive Rosewood forests. These trees had grown long, reaching their full height and then exceeding it. The canopy was a beautiful, albeit odd, red veil over the paths through the woodlands. According to the folk who live in the forests, the animals seem to have an odd relationship with the wood, birds refuse to build nests in them, bears avoid clawing them and so on. Massacre at Thornwood At a summit called by The Mad Queen, last Lord of Skalivak swatted and killed a butterfly that happened to drift in through the room's wide windows. Naturally, this action was noticed by the Queen, who summoned the man over along with his sons. Like loyal subjects they obeyed, approaching the table at the hall's front where the Queen waited patiently. It was known by many that the Queen consumed the insects, but none knew her devotion to achieving immortality. She waved her hand and bolts were loosed from the upper level, slaughtering all the men and women of Skalivak in attendance. The Knight of the Flower Isle, Ser Arthus Casamir drew his blade against the Queen, only to be riddled with bolts and stabbed by the Queen's personal guard. The Mad Queen's War After the massacre at Thornwood, the Lord of Greenefield called upon the other Lords and Ladies to rise against the now tyrannical queen. Together, the other seven kingdoms took up arms against the extremely well funded and vast legions of Aldys. The war itself is considered by some scholars to be a crime against humanity, with poisoned blades and arrows, pitch and tar catching on soldiers, and inhumane traps laid throughout the Rosewood. The events of the war led to many believing House Trevohn was worthy of annihilation, but fortunately the King-Regent afforded them a chance for their heirs to redeem the family's name. Present Day The survivors of The Mad Queen's war have not yet forgotten the evils that Aldys had spawned, blaming the ancient elves for cursing the land, where few now venture without need. With its wealth taken, House Trevohn resorted to cutting down and selling its vast supply of rosewood trees, which earned them a sizable profit as it was in high demand. While the Rosewood forests remain, there are whispers that the trees themselves have begun sprouting thorns over the years of hacking and burning. Trivia * Despite losing everything but its name, House Trevohn has managed to re-earn and surpass their previous fortune, making them the wealthiest House in the realm. * There are rumors of giant thorned creatures roaming the Rosewood forests, some claim them to be the guardians of the forest.